Method, system and apparatus for handling operational constraints for control of unmanned vehicles

Abstract

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for handling operational constraints for unmanned vehicles. The system includes: a plurality of mobile unmanned vehicles for deployment in an environment; a computing device connected to the plurality of unmanned vehicles via a network, the computing device storing, in a memory, a plurality of operational constraints; each operational constraint including (i) a type identifier, (ii) an indication of a region of the environment, and (iii) a property defining a constraint on the operation of the unmanned vehicles within the region. The computing device is configured to: receive a request from one of the mobile unmanned vehicles, the request identifying an operational constraint; responsive to receiving the request, retrieve an operational constraint from the memory based on the request; and send the retrieved operational constraint to the one of the mobile unmanned vehicles.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An unmanned vehicle for deployment in an environment, the unmanned vehicle comprising a processor and at least one sensor in communication with the processor, the processor configured to:
 operate the unmanned vehicle to travel in a region of the environment;   determine an operational constraint associated with the region, wherein the operational constraint comprises (i) class identifier data that identifies a restriction within the region of the environment, and (ii) property data defining an operation of the unmanned vehicle within the region;   collect sensor data, via the at least one sensor, in association with the region;   compare the sensor data to the operational constraint;   in response determining a mismatch between the sensor data and the operational constraint, update the operational constraint based on the sensor data; and   adjust operation of the unmanned vehicle based on the updated operational constraint.   
     
     
         21 . The unmanned vehicle of  claim 20 , further comprising a memory in communication with the processor, wherein the memory stores a cache of operational constraints, and updating the operational constraint based on the sensor data comprises the processor being configured to update the operational constraint stored in the cache. 
     
     
         22 . The unmanned vehicle of  claim 21 , further comprising a communication interface, and wherein updating the operational constraint based on the sensor data in response to determining the mismatch further comprises the processor being configured to:
 transmit, using the communication interface via a network, a request to a computing device to update the operational constraint based on the sensor data.   
     
     
         23 . The unmanned vehicle of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more of a barcode scanner, a laser-based sensing device, a camera, or a location sensor. 
     
     
         24 . The unmanned vehicle of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure a height of surrounding objects. 
     
     
         25 . The unmanned vehicle of  claim 24 , wherein the class identifier in the operational constraint indicates a height-restricted zone including a maximum vehicle height clearance, and the processor is configured to:
 measure, via the at least one sensor, a height clearance in the region;   determine a mismatch between the maximum vehicle height clearance in the operational constraint and the measured height clearance; and   in response to determining the mismatch, update the operational constraint by updating the class identifier to include a new maximum vehicle height clearance corresponding to the measured height clearance.   
     
     
         26 . The unmanned vehicle of  claim 25 , wherein the vehicle is travelling along a path that intersects the region, and in response to updating the class identifier in the operational constraint, the processor is further configured to:
 determine that a height of the vehicle is greater than the new maximum vehicle height clearance in the updated operational constraint;   generate an updated path that avoids the region of the environment; and   adjust operation of the unmanned vehicle by controlling the unmanned vehicle to follow the updated path.   
     
     
         27 . The unmanned vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate the path and the updated path in order to complete a task. 
     
     
         28 . The unmanned vehicle of  claim 20 , wherein the region is at least one of an area or a volume within the environment. 
     
     
         29 . A method for operating an unmanned vehicle deployed in an environment, the method comprising:
 operating, via a processor of the unmanned vehicle, the unmanned vehicle to travel in a region of the environment;   determining, via the processor, an operational constraint associated with the region, wherein the operational constraint comprises (i) class identifier data that identifies a restriction within the region of the environment, and (ii) property data defining an operation of the unmanned vehicle within the region;   collecting, via at least one sensor of the unmanned vehicle coupled to the processor, sensor data in association with the region;   comparing the sensor data to the operational constraint;   in response determining a mismatch between the sensor data and the operational constraint, updating the operational constraint based on the sensor data; and   adjusting, via the processor, operation of the unmanned vehicle based on the updated operational constraint.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the unmanned vehicle further comprises a memory in communication with the processor, and the method further comprises:
 storing, in the memory, a cache of operational constraints; and   updating the operational constraint stored in the cache.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the unmanned vehicle further comprises a communication interface in communication with the processor, and in response to determining the mismatch, the method further comprises:
 transmitting, via a network using the communication interface, a request to a computing device to update the operational constraint based on the sensor data.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more of a barcode scanner, a laser-based sensing device, a camera, or location sensors. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure a height of surrounding objects. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the class identifier of the operational constraint comprises a height-restricted zone that includes a maximum vehicle height clearance, and the method further comprises:
 measuring, via the at least one sensor, a height clearance in the region;   determining a mismatch between the maximum vehicle height clearance in the operational constraint and the measured height clearance; and   in response to determining the mismatch, updating the operational constraint by updating the class identifier to include a new maximum vehicle height clearance corresponding to the measured height clearance.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein operating the unmanned vehicle to travel in a region of the environment comprises controlling the unmanned vehicle to follow a path that intersects the region. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein in response to updating the class identifier included the operational constraint, the method further comprises:
 determining that a height of the vehicle is greater than the new maximum vehicle height clearance in the updated operational constraint;   generating an updated path for the vehicle that avoids the region of the environment; and   adjusting operation of the unmanned vehicle by controlling the unmanned vehicle to follow the updated path.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 generating the path and the updated path in order to complete a task.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the region is at least one of an area or a volume within the environment. 
     
     
         39 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions for execution by a processor of an unmanned vehicle for causing the unmanned vehicle to perform a method, the method comprising:
 operating the unmanned vehicle to travel in a region of the environment;   determining an operational constraint associated with the region, wherein the operational constraint comprises (i) class identifier data that identifies a restriction within the region of the environment, and (ii) property data defining an operation of the unmanned vehicle within the region;   collecting, via at least one sensor of the unmanned vehicle, sensor data in association with the region;   comparing the sensor data to the operational constraint;   in response determining a mismatch between the sensor data and the operational constraint, updating the operational constraint based on the sensor data; and   adjusting operation of the unmanned vehicle based on the updated operational constraint.